Carton-closing apparatus



Oct. 30, 1956 J. A. KAY r-:T Ax. 2,768,492

CARTON-CLOSING APPARATUS Filed Aug'. 16, 1955 nuemors JAMES ARTHUR KAY ALFRED GERMAN ROSE Shu/mu SM1/mm, Horn e ys CARTON -CLOSING APPARATUS James Arthur Kay and Alfred German Rose, Gainsborough, England, assignors to Rose Brothers (Gainsborough) Limited, Gainsborough, England, a British company Application August 16, 195:52, Serial No. 528,782

Ciaims priority, application Great Britain August 26', 1952i 3 Claims. (Cl. SCi-374) This invention relates to carton closing apparatus for cartons of the kind in which the end closures are formed by folding over inner and outer flaps constituted by extensions of the walls of the cartons. The invention is concerned with that part of the closing apparatus dealing with the folding over of the outer flaps on to the already folded inner flaps, such part of the apparatus being generally known as the ploughs It is usual for the inner plough, i. e., the one folding the first outer flap, to terminate close to the line of folding of the last outer flap so as to ensure that any portion of the rst outer flap (particularly the leading free corner) that may have become bent outwardly during earlier manipulation is straightened and held in proper folded position until it becomes trapped by the folding of the last flap.

When using ploughs that are adjustable laterally for different widths of carton (a usual procedure), however, the inner plough must inevitably move away from the desirable position adjacent the line of folding of the last outer flap, and as the gap thus created increases with approach to maximum adjustment, the inner plough is no longer able properly to straighten a bent leading corner of a first outer flap, with the result that such a corner portion is apt to be folded outwardly upon itself and trapped between the two outer flaps by the folding over of the last ap by the outer plough, thus causing a faulty closure in the carton.

This difficulty is alleviated by the provision according to the invention of a carton closing apparatus in which the forward portion of the inner plough (considered in the direction of travel of the cartons) is adjustably mounted on the body portion for movement in a lateral direction and is formed with a plough-shaped tongue adapted to be positioned by adjustment with its forward extremity close to the line of folding of the last outer flap and to extend laterally and upwardly away from that line a substantial distance to form a guide for the first outer flap leading to the said line of folding in the region approaching the final folding portion of the outer plough.

The adjustable portion is conveniently mounted in a lateral slideway formed in the body portion of the inner plough and is secured in position by a set screw.

rl`he invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of part of a cartonclosing apparatus,

Figure 2 is a plan of that portion, and

nited States Patent O ice Figure 3 is a sectional elevation similar to Figure 1, illustrating adjustment of the apparatus.

Cartons 11 are fed in spaced succession along a supporting platform 12 between side guides 13 by a conveyor chain 14 having spaced pockets 16. At the closing station of the apparatus (illustrated in the drawings), the inner flaps 17 of the cartons have already been folded over and are held down by a central guide 18, while the outer flaps 19 and 21, having previously been ploughed outwards to receive a layer of gum, have their undersides engaged by inner and outer ploughs 22 and 23, respectively, serving to fold over the flaps 19 and 21 in succession to complete the end closure.

The inner plough 22 is formed with a separate forward portion 24 slidably mounted for lateral adjustment in a slideway 26 formed in an extension 27 from the plough 22. T he portion 24 is formed with a plough-shaped tongue 28 arranged to be adjusted so that its forward extremity lies close to the line of folding 29 of the flap 21, the tongue 28 extending laterally and upwardly away from that line a substantial distance to form a guide for the iiap 19 leading to the line 29 in the region approaching the final folding portion of the plough 23.

It will be seen that the leading portion of the flap 19 is engaged by the tongue 28 as it passes out of the inuence of the body portion of the plough 22, and is smoothed down by the tongue 28 as the flap passes towards the nip of the folding outer flap 21, so that any bent leading corner is ploughed inwardly by the tongue 28 and maintained in proper folded position. These conditions are maintained when the apparatus is adjusted for a wider carton, by suitable adjustment of the tongue 28 as illustrated in Figure 3.

We claim:

l. Carton-closing apparatus for cartons of the kind in which the end closures are formed by folding over inner and outer flaps constituted by extensions of the walls of the cartons, said apparatus comprising a conveyor for forwarding a spaced succession of open-ended cartons to and through a closing station, inner and outer ploughs disposed alongside the conveyor and laterally adjustable relatively to each other for the accommodation of cartons of different width, the inner plough having a forward portion that is adjustably mounted on the body portion for movement in a lateral direction and is formed with a plough-shaped tongue adapted to be positioned by adjustment with its forward extremity close to the line of folding of the last outer flap and to extend laterally and upwardly away from that line a substantial distance to form a guide for the first outer flap leading to the said line of folding in the region approaching the final folding portion of the outer plough.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the adjustable portion is mounted in a lateral slideway formed in the body portion of the inner plough.

3. An adjustable plough for a carton-closing apparatus, said plough having a forward portion adjustably mounted in the body portion for movement in a lateral direction, said forward portion being formed with a plough-shaped tongue.

No references cited, 

